Sheet feeding apparatus



Jufiy It, 1941.. F. G. BINDER SHEET FEEDING APPARATUS Filed July 12, 1940 INVENTOH FREDERICK G. BINDER Patented .iuiy l, 1941 2,247,473 SHEET FEEDING APPARATUS Frederick G. Binder, Philadelphia, Pa., asslgnor to r Folder Company, Pearl River, N. Y., a

corporation of New York Application July 12, 1940, Serial No. 345,041-

Claims.

'This invention relates to sheet feeders and more particularly to sheet handling devices thereof comprised by suction sheet separators and forwarders.

At the present time various types of sheet feeders employ sheet handling. means comprised by vacuum operated telescoping suction devices for separating and/or forwarding sheets of paper, cardboard or the like from a supply thereof. These suction devices each include a cylinder having a piston slidably mounted therein and provided with a hollow piston stem to which is attached, exteriorly of the-cylinder, a sheet en-' gaging rubber suction cup. Vacuum is created in each cylinder and beneathth'e piston through a port formed in said cylinder to draw the piston,

the piston stem and suction cup downwardly until the latter engages the' uppermost sheet of the supply. Upon closing of the suction cup by the sheet, vacuum is then created above the piston and in the piston stem and suction cup through another port to lift the piston, the piston stem, the suction cup and the sheet engaged thereby.

Upon continued operation of the suction devices, particularly on printed stock which has been previously coated with paraflin, the ports, through which vacuum is created to lift the pistons, the piston stems and the suction cups, be-

These and other objects of the present invention will appear as the following description thereof proceeds and in order to more clearly understand said invention reference may be had to the accompanying drawing which illustrates one embodiment thereof.

In said drawing:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary vertical longitudinal sectional view of a sheet feeder embodying the present invention; and

Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical longitudinal sectional view of one of the vacuum operated telescoping suction sheet handling devices illustrated in Fig. l, I

Referring to the drawing, wherein like reference characters designate like parts throughout the several views, 5 indicates a frame comprised at opposite sides of the feeder by front uprights 6 and rear uprights I connected together by side members 8. A pile board 9 and pile of paper or cardboard sheets I0 is supported in the feeder on a pile elevator (not shown) which is of well known construction and operation and needs no come clogged vwith paper dust, particles of paraf- Y fin or other foreign substances resulting in faultyoperation of said suction devices. occurs it becomes necessary to stop the feeder, remove the clogged suction device or devices therefrom and dismantle the same to. clean out' the parafiin, paper dust or other foreign substance. This is objectionable for the reason that it decreases the running time of the feeder with resulting decrease in production thereof and loss of profit to the printer.

Accordingly, it is one object of the present invention to provide improved vacuum operated suction devices of the telescoping type for acting When this on sheets of paper, cardboard or the like, and

which overcome the above mentioned objection.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a sheet feeder having improved vacuum operated suction devices of the telescoping type the ports of which may be cleaned without stopping the feederand without dismantling or removing said devices therefrom.

Another object of the present invention is to provide improved vacuum operated suction devices of the telescoping type the ports of which may becleaned through the provision of novel means incorporated therein for this purpose.

vices, indicated broadly at H,

at the rear thereof by pins detail description herein except to say that as sheets are fed ofi the top of the pile, the elevator and pile board 9 are intermittently raised in the usual manner to. keep the top of said pile at a proper level for separation and feeding of sheets therefrom.

The sheets of pile Ill are separated one after ,another from the top and rear thereof by separating devices located adjacent the rear corners of the pile'and actuated in opposite directions by vacuum to engage and lift the rear portion of the topmost sheet. The separating deare carried by brackets I! which are mounted on, and slidable along, a rear cross member l3. This cross member l3 forms part of an auxiliary frame I4 which includes side members IS. The auxiliary frame I4 is pivotally mounted at opposite sides of the feeder, as at I 6, on brackets I! which are bolted or otherwise suitably secured to the side members 8. The auxiliary frame I4 is supported l8 secured in any suitable manner in the rear uprights 1.

Each sheet separated by the separating devices H is advanced from the pile by forwarding de- 2 2| which extends transversely of the feeder and is iournalled in suitable hearings in the brackets I1. The sheet forwarding devices |9 are rocked rearwardly by a spring (not "shown) and forwardly by a cam 22 fixed on' a cam shaft 23 which extends transversely of the feeder and is Journalied in suitable bearings in the front uprights 9. The camshaft 23 is driven in any suitable manner from any suitable source of power, as for example, the printing press or other machine with which the feeder is associated. The cam 22 engages a roller 24 jourualled on a cam strap 25 extending over the cam shaft 23 and connected with an arm 25 which is fixed on the rock shaft 2|.

The sheets separated from the pile by the sheet separating devices I are taken by the sheet forwarding devices l9 and delivered thereby to a conveyor comprised by a driven feed roller 21 which extends transversely of the feeder and is ournalled in suitable bearings in the front uprights 5. Cooperating with the feed roller 21 are drop rollers 29 journalled on arms 29 which are fixed on a rock shaft 39. The rock shaft 39 extends transversely of the feeder and is journalled at opposite ends thereof in suitable bearings in plates 3| which are bolted or otherwise suitably secured to the front uprights 5. The drop rollers 29 are raised and lowered in the usual manner once during each cycle of operation of the feeder to receive the forwarded sheets delivered between said roller and the feed roller 21 and thereafter assist feeding of the sheets by the feed roller toward the machine or instrumentality to be fed.

The suction sheet separating devices II and the suction sheet forwarding devices l9 are identical as respects their construction and sheet en- 4 gaging and liftingoperation and a description of one of said devices will thereforebe sufliicient for all of the same. These suction devices are, in accordance with the present invention, each preferably constructed and operated as; follows.

duit 4,5 the opposite end of which is connected with one end of a short conduit 43 through the medium of a flexible coupling 41. The opposite end of this short conduit 49 is connected with one end of'a conduit 49 which is formedin, and

extends vertically through, a horizontally disposed block 49. Connected with the opposite end of the conduit 43in block 49 is one end of a with the. conduit 49 therein is a port 5| which is somewhat smaller than the port 43 in the lower end of the cylinder 32. This port 5| in block 49 opens into a chamber 52 which is also formed in said block. The chamber 52 is closed by a plug 53 having threaded engagement with the Referring now more particularly to Fig. 2, each I suction device is comprised by a cylinder 32 closed at .its upper and lower ends by caps 33, 34, respectively, secured in any suitable manner in said cylinder. Slidably mounted in the lower cap 34 of the cylinder 32 is a hollow piston stem 35 which is open at both ends and projects through said cap downwardly-beyondthe same.

1 Fixed on the lower projectingend of the hollow block 49. Connected with the cap 33 of cylinder 32 and communicating with the interior 'of said cylinder is one end of a vertically extending conduit 54 the opposite end of which is connected with one end of a,short conduit through the medium of a flexible coupling ,55. The opposite end of this short conduit 55 is secured in the block 49 and connected with the chamber 52 in said block.

Slidably mounted in the plug 53 and disposed in line with the port 5| is a port cleaning member comprised by a pin 51 having an enlarged portion 58 disposed within the chamber 52 and a 116+ duced portion 59 also disposed within said chamber and adapted to enter the port 5|. The enlarged portion 59 of pin 51 prevents outward displacement of said pin from the plug 53 and is smaller in diameter than the chamber 52 so that when vacuum is created in said chamber, as hereinafter described, said vacuum will have no effect on the pin. Surrounding the pin 51- and interposed between the plug 53 and ahead 59 formed onithe outer end of said pin, is a. spring 5| which normally holds the pin in. the full line position thereof shown in Fig. 2 so that the reduced or port cleaning portion 59 of said pin is removed from the port 5|.

piston stem 35 exteriorly of the cylinder 32 is a 3 rubber suction cup 35 provided with a duct 31 in communication with said cup and said tube through the lower open end of the latter.

Slidably mounted in the cylinder 32 and secured to or formed integrally with hollow piston stem 35 at'the upper end thereof is a piston head 39 provided with a skirt 39. Surrounding the hollow piston stem 35 and interposed between the head 39 and the lower cap 34 of the cylinder 32 is a light spring 49 adapted to normally hold said head, said piston stem and the suction cup 35 in their normal full line positions shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Bolted or otherwise suitably secured to the lower end of the cylinder 32 exteriorly thereof is a bracket 4| having formed therein a chamber 42. This chamber 42 communicates with the interior of the cylinder 32 through a port 43 formed in said cylinder and through a recess 44 formed in the lower cap 34. Connected with the brack-' et 4| and communicating with the chamber 42 therein is one end of The operation of the suction device which has just been described is substantially as follows. When vacuum is created. in the flexible conduit 59vacuum will likewise be created in'the cylinder 32 and beneath the piston head 39, through the conduits, 45; 45, the chamber 42, the port 43 and the recess 44. Vacuum so created in the cylinder 32 acts on the underside of the piston head 39 and draws said head, the piston stem 35 and the suction cup 35 downwardly against the action of the spring 40 until the suction cup engages the top sheet of the pile l3. Immediately upon closing of the suction cup 35 by the top I sheet of the pile; vacuum will be created in'the a vertically extending concylinder 32 above the piston head 39 and in the piston stem 35 and suction cup 35, through the port 5|, the chamber 52 and the conduits 55, 54. Vacuum so created in the cylinder 32 acts on the top side of the piston head 39 and-over an area which is greater than the area on the underside of said piston head, thus lifting the piston head 39, the piston stem 35, the suction cup 35 and the top sheet engaged by vacuum therewith.

Upon continuous operation of the suction device, particularly on printedsheets which have been previously coated with paraihn, particles of paraflin, paper dust or other foreign substances conduit 48 from which are'drawn by vacuum through the suction cup 36 which eventually clog up the port 5| in block 49 resulting in sluggish operation of the suction device or failure of said device to operate. When this occurs, the machine attendant simply presses the pin 5'! inwardly and through the port 5| while the feeder is in operation, thereby forcing the port clogging substance from the port 5| into the it is discharged by vacuum through the flexible conduit 50. When the pin 51 is released by the machine attendant, said pin is returned to its normal full line position, shown in Fig. 2, through spring 6| The present description and accompanying drawing set forth with more or less particularity one embodiment of the present invention, but it is to be expressly understood that said invention is not limited to said embodiment or otherwise than by the terms of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a cylinder and piston type vacuum operated sheet handling device having a' port for establishing communication between a source of vacuum and the interior of the cylinder, the combination of means incorporated in the device movable at any time through the port thereof to clean it, and means normally holding said first named means removed from the port to enable operation of said device.

2. In a cylinder and piston type vacuum operated sheethandling device having a port for establishing communication between a source of vacuum and the interior of the cylinder, the combination of a chamber interposed between and in communication with the cylinder and the port and disposed in line with the latter, a member incorporated in the device movable at any time through said chamber and said port to clean the latter, and a spring normally holding said member removed from the port to enable operation of said device.

3. In a cylinder and piston type vacuum operated sheet handling device having a conduit the expanding action of the,

v 3 connected with a source of vacuum and a port for establishing communication between the conduit and the interior of the cylinder, the combination of means incorporated in the device movable at any time through the port and toward the conduit to dislodge foreign .matter from said port into said conduit, and means normally holding.

said first named means removed from the port to enable operation of said device.

4. In a cylinder and piston type vacuum operated sheet handling device, the combination of a pair of conduits having corresponding ends connected with the cylinder at the top'and bot tom thereof respectively, a block connecting the opposite ends of said conduits together, a conduit in said block and connecting one of said first named conduits with a source of vacuum, a port in the block and communicating with the conduit therein, a chamber in the block and connecting the port therein with the other of said first named conduits, and a member continuously extending into the chamber and movable at any time through the port for dislodging foreign matter from said port to clean the same, said memher being normally removed from the port to enable operation of said device.

5. In acylinder and piston type vacuum operated sheet handling device, the combination of a pair of conduits having corresponding ends con-= nected with the cylinder at the top and bottom thereof respectively, a block connecting the opposite ends of said conduits, a conduit in said block and connecting one of said first named conduits with a source of vacuum, a port in the block and communicating with the conduit therein, a chamber in the block and connecting the port therein with the other of said first named conduits, a member extending into the chamber and movable through the port for dislodging foreign matter from said port to clean the same, and a spring normally holding said member removed from the port.

- FREDERICK G. BINDER. 

